Religion in the USA and Elsewhere

by Joe Grundy 19 Replies latest social current

• 

  Joe Grundy

  Trying to follow media reports in the US and elsewhere, a question occurred to me.

  In the UK, religious beliefs are largely irrelevant to most people. Even those who claim adherence seem to do so in a fairly vague way and it doesn't seem to make much difference.

  In the US (it seems to me) it's a much bigger issue. The evangelical Christian movement seems quite powerful politically in various iterations ("family values" etc.) and a movement for "religious freedom". People like Billy Graham's son seem to wield some power.

  And yet there's something I don't understand (several things, actually). If religious freedom (including freedom from religion) is the norm, how could a 'Muslim ban' be contemplated, when 'Muslims' are just adherents of Islamic religion in one of its many forms? Are they not included in the 'religious freedom' concept?

  Again, it seems to me that relevant questions are not asked of people/politicians/office holders or seekers if they relate to religious beliefs. Relevant because they go to critical thinking. For example, a Christian could be asked whether they believe thew nativity story in Matthew or Luke (and if so, which one, and why), a Catholic could be asked whether they believe that the wafer and wine are literally transformed into the body and blood. Jews could be asked if they believe the OT as literal truth ( the exodus for example). Mormons could be asked about ... well, a whole bucket load of stuff.

  Yet this never happens. I appreciate that in most places religious etc. views can't feature in job interviews, when it comes to voting I would really want to know just how gullible the candidate is and how developed is their ability for critical thinking.
  
• 

  StarryNight9

  Joe Grundy: " If religious freedom (including freedom from religion) is the norm, how could a 'Muslim ban' be contemplated, when 'Muslims' are just adherents of Islamic religion in one of its many forms?"
  

  In US politics, "Muslim ban" is code for "Brown-people ban". Saying it's about religion allows the racist segment to openly support the policy without being called racist. However, there are some true-believers who think everyone should be Christian. You can tell which they are by asking if they think all other religions/denominations other than theirs should be banned too.
  
  
• 

  Joe Grundy

  Thank you for the response. I think I understand this. What would happen (I wonder) if in a particular state/county/electoral entity the majority were Muslim/Scientologists/whatever? Or a mainly Hispanic-based pentacostal based fundamentalist sect?

  Your point about 'Christian' is taken. My heritage -as far as I can tell - is that I'm descended from Huguenots, refugees from Protestant/Catholic progroms (not to mention the Great Schism between Catholic/Orthodox). But they all seem to get along a bit better nowadays.
• 

  DesirousOfChange

  Actually referring to the ban of persons from Middle East nations with connections to terrorism as a “ Muslim Ban” is an attempt to make appear biased or prejudicial towards the religion (or skin color). It just so happens that the vast majority of persons from those nations are both Muslim and brown skinned.

  As a result of the desire to be “tolerant” toward all religions, no one dare ask any pointed questions about any candidate’s faith. For example, all the questions that should have asked about Romney’s membership in the Mormon Cult were taboo as the reported asking would have been declared as a bigot.

  Conversely every candidate must be a “Christian” to have any chance of getting any of the votes from fundamentalist Christians. Only in extremely liberal areas could a professed Atheist be elected.
• 

  EverApostate

  USA has the best freedom of speech and freedom of religion, among the many nations I know of.

  Is that a reason that cults flourish here. Does anyone know ?
• 

  Joe Grundy

  "Conversely every candidate must be a “Christian” to have any chance of getting any of the votes from fundamentalist Christians. Only in extremely liberal areas could a professed Atheist be elected."

  "USA has the best freedom of speech and freedom of religion, among the many nations I know of."

  I'm just trying to reconcile these statements. They can't both be true, can they?
  
• 

  shepherdless

  Recent stats in a few of the more religious western countries show that religious belief is decreasing at a rate of around 1% per year. (Eg Pew report USA, Australian Census, and another recent survey in South Korea.) We live in a historic time where religion is losing its relevance at an astonishing rate.

  It is not just Christianity that is dropping. I know of a Japanese family; grandmother a devout Buddhist with ancestor worship, etc, mother lights an incense stick once a year, kids have no interest in religion whatsoever. I know a Hindu family much the same.

  I have recently noticed that, while some millennial Muslims are devout, a lot of millennial Muslims appear to be atheists. 3 times in the last couple of months, I was told something like "no, I was just born Muslim". About a week ago, a millennial Muslim named Mohammed (born and raised in a country bordering Israel, but went to Uni in a Western country) told me organised religion is just a tool to control and manipulate people. He said that in front of another "born Muslim" millennial. They still seem anti-Israel though, which I found interesting.
• 

  stan livedeath

  "Is that a reason that cults flourish here. Does anyone know ?"

  
  

  what a pity they didnt stay there.
• 

  Finkelstein

  As for the US their concept of god under one country comes inherently from a Christian perspective with the inclusion of variations of Christianity .

  The forefathers who established the country were Christian.

  The reason why most of the US population base are Christian.

  For decades there has been a built up hatred of certain middle eastern counties such as Iran and Syria toward the US because of the US's controlling influence in that region particularly Saudi Arabia and the long standing support of the Jewish state of Israel .
  

  Since in Islamic theology via the Quran there is little tolerance for other religious belief systems other than its own and there is written scripture to impose violence to un believers or infidels, this creates an element of ill-tolerance and hatred to other recognized countries who are not of the Muslim faith.
  
• 

  Joe Grundy

  Thank you for the response. Perhaps part of the problem is that (uniquely, I understand) the Quran declares itself the final and only correct revelation. This has not worked out in practice, of course, hence the sectarian wars.

  Going back to my original point. Has any potential voter or reporter ever asked (for example) Sens. Hatch or Flake whether they wear the 'sacred underwear' and if they believe in its properties? And if so, why?